


A Thousand Lives Lived

by havemore_fandomgarbage



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: EXO - Freeform, EXO K - Freeform, EXO M - Freeform, EXO-K, EXO-M - Freeform, F/M, MAMA Era Powers (EXO), Music Video: MAMA (EXO), OT12 (EXO), OT9 (EXO)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-01-25 15:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21358486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havemore_fandomgarbage/pseuds/havemore_fandomgarbage
Relationships: Exo/Reader
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

“When the skies and the ground were one, the Legends, through their twelve forces, nurtured the Tree of Life. An eye of red force created the Evil, which coveted the heart of Tree of Life and the heart slowly grew dry.”

As a child, I was told that my beloved aunt was estranged. People told me she was weird and crazy, but I didn’t think so. She was just different and I liked it. I was never bored when she came to visit. There was always something new and exciting about her. Sometimes it was her hair or her clothing. Sometimes it was her scent. That seemed to be her favorite thing to change. From lemons to foreign spices, tree sap to expensive perfume, water to smoke, the possibilities seemed endless.

“With tend and engrace for heart of Tree of Life, the Legends hereby divide the tree in half and hide each side. Hence, time is overturned and space turn a skew.”

She also brought me souvenirs from her travels. I loved the gifts she showered me with: statues of ancient ruins, simple and complex toys, and fine jewelry. But my favorite thing was her stories. She was the greatest storyteller I knew. Every night, before I went to bed, she would sit me on her lap and tell me tales about a mystical tree and legends with fantastical powers that protected the world from an evil red force. That was my favorite stories of hers. Dad always seemed mad when she told me these stories. I didn’t understand why. After all, they were just fairytales.

“The twelve forces divide into two and create two suns that look alike, into two worlds that seem alike. The Legends travel apart. The Legends shall now see the same sky but shall stand different grounds, shall stand on the same ground but shall see different skies.”

Oh how I was wrong, so terribly wrong. They were so much more than bedtime stories. The Legends were real. They’d survived for centuries, the Legends living a thousand lives. My aunt had spent her life protecting them from the Red Force. Now it was my turn to help her and the elder council protect them and my world against the evil Red Force.

“The day the grounds be kept a single file before one sky in two worlds that seem alike, the Legends will greet each other. The day the red force is purified and the twelve reunite into one perfect root, a new world shall open up.”


	2. Ignis

Hope sucked. It was the worst possible thing to exist. Where there was hope, the was hopelessness. That’s all I felt nowadays. I couldn’t really say why. I guess two years of continuous failure did that to people. I guess it was normal. This whole situation was funny, really. I’d always wanted to feel normal, but this wasn’t the normal I meant.

I chuckled to myself, shaking my head. Normal--that was a luxury I couldn’t afford and would never have. Nothing in my life would ever be normal. Not with the life I lived.

Sighing, I pulled my jacket tighter around me. My boots clunked against the gravel of the empty lot. Darkness hid me from the silent world that laid around me, the stars my only source of light. Not even the moon was out. I truly was alone tonight.

Annoyed with my careless thoughts I clicked my tongue. Time was running out. Every moment I spent wandering around was another moment wasted. I needed more time. Every moment I spent looking for peace was another moment the war raged on. For centuries the war had been going on and for centuries innocent people had been slaughtered. Their only means of surviving was to accept corruption. I couldn’t say which was worse.

My muscles continuously grew sore with each step I took. I needed rest. I needed food that didn’t come from a box and wasn’t covered in grease. I needed clean water, not cheap liquor, but liquor let me sleep. Even if it was only for a few hours--it let me sleep.

I continued to push on. The strong did not complain. They persevered and made do with what life gave them. Of course, they were spoiled brats compared to me. None of them had been forced to live the life I did--to live through the things I had. In case I didn’t mention it before, I wasn’t normal.

Flames on asphalt wasn’t normal either. Jogging closer I found a trail of flames leading… somewhere. I crouched down, examining the fire. Nothing stood out, minus the fact there was any wood or gasoline nearby. The fire wasn’t in a continuous line either, rather, the flames were staggered like--like footsteps.

I closed my eyes hoping--praying to whoever could hear me, that this was it. That this was my big break, my answer, my saving grace. No more sleepless nights, no more desperate searching, no more hopelessness. I could have cried, but crying was for the weak.

I followed the fiery trail, silently hoping it wouldn’t up and disappear. That would be my luck. The trail lead me to a parking lot where a few cars sat. I slowed my pace, avoiding street lamps, but my eyes continued to wander down the trail.

I halted my movements. Further ahead, just before the road, stood a figure. It was a guy and he just stood there, staring at the sky. His back was turned to me and he was wearing all black, making it nearly impossible to get a good look at him. Even with him standing directly under a streetlight.

I ducked behind a nearby car, my heart rate increasing. While I sat there trying to steady my breathing, a loud “poof” filled the air. Daring to peek over the car, I saw another guy standing by the first guy. Both seemed well acquainted with one another. They were talking but I was too far away to hear what they were saying. Whatever it was, it looked important.

Then I saw him--the second guy. He had simply vanished with a resounding “poof”. He just disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of black mist where he once stood. I stared at where he once stood with an unhinged jaw. There was just no. Freaking. Way. I did it. I actually did it. I found him. After all this time, I finally found one of them. I could have screamed before a realization hit me. He disappeared and I had no idea where the hell he went.

“Shit,” I muttered.

I glanced at the other guy. Maybe he knew how to contact the Legend. I was going to go up to him when I noticed his hand. He was holding fire. As in, he was physically holding it--in his hand. So he had been the one who caused the fiery trail. Tonight really was my night. I hadn’t just found one but two Legends. Things were really starting to look up.

I stood up ready to greet the Legend when he lifted his arm. Fire burst from around him, steadily growing and forming a phoenix. I stared at him in awe and fear as the flames expanded around him, dancing beautifully in the night sky.

“HOLY SHIT!”

As quick as they appeared, the flames extinguished. The Legend turned around, completely horrified. He froze when we made eye contact. His mouth hung open as his eyes took me in. Heart pounding, I ran to him before he could sprint off. I dropped to my knee, bowing my head.

“Great Legend, my name is Aurelia, First Class of the YG Sector dedicated to the protection of the Tree of Life and peace of humanity,” I told him. “I have traveled many great lengths to find you. I am in desperate need of your help. The universe as we know it is in danger and I--”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” the Legend interrupted. I shut my mouth, furrowing my brows. “I’m sorry, but I have no idea who you are and--can you please stop kneeling? It’s, uh, it’s kind of awkward and uncomfortable.” I rose slowly, lifting my head. I could see the Legend better up close. He was tall, really tall. His brown curls hung loosely across his forehead. They dangled in his eyes, making him blink rapidly. He was staring at me like I was crazy. Because, you know, bursting into flames qualifies as normal.

“I don’t know how much you saw,” he continued, “but I’m begging you, please forget anything and everything you saw.” I tilted my head to the side.

“Why?” I inquired. This took him back. “I have been searching for you for years. I can’t just ‘forget’ what I saw. I need your help. We just need to find the other Legends and peace can finally be restored.” He only stared back, face blank.

“I’m gonna be real with you for a moment, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he confessed. “I don’t know who these ‘Legends’ are, but I’m not one of them. I’m nobody.” He turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm and forced him to face me. That’s when I saw it. The phoenix, the symbol of the Legend of Fire, burned onto his dog tags. I nodded to his tags, something like a smile making a brief appearance on my face.

“You are so much more than a nobody. I know a lot more than you would think--more than you know. I saw the other Legend as well. You can try and lie to yourself but you can’t lie to me. I need your help,” I beeged. He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Listen, Aurelia was it? I don’t know what kind of trouble you’re in, but I can’t help. I’m sorry.” He turned to leave but I wouldn’t give up that easily. I called out to him.

“I can help you. I can explain all of this--why you are the way you are. Why all twelve of you are the way you are. Aren’t you the least bit curious as to why you out of seven billion people are the way you are?” I asked.

“How’d you--”

“I told you, ‘I know more than you think.’ There are twelve of you--twelve Legends. Each of you with your own special power, your own special symbol. The Legend of Fire’s symbol is a phoenix--just like the one on your tag. And your friend? He’s the Legend of Teleportation,” I explained. He nodded slowly, wetting his lips.

“Okay. Okay, so I still don’t know who, or what, these Legends are, but you know about this symbol--about why I’m like this?” he inquired. I nodded. He nibbled his lower lip, turning his head from side to side contemplating. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“If I was going to kill you, don’t you think I would have done it already? I don’t want to harm you, or your friend. I’ve dedicated my life to your protection, I gave the universe my word. Now I’m giving you my word, and I don’t go back on my word.” He nodded then stuck out his hand. I hesitantly, but firmly, grabbed it.

“This is your chance to prove yourself, Aurelia. I’ll help you if you help me,” he said shaking my hand. Relief flood my body at his words.

“‘Tis my honor, Great Legend.” He cringed.

“My name’s Chanyeol.”

“Well, Chanyeol, it would be best if you followed me. We have quite a few things to discuss and a mostly empty parking lot is not the place to do so.”

***

“So let me get this straight. I’m this ‘Legend of Fire’, some thousand-odd years ago the original Legends fought this ‘Red Force to protect the ‘Tree of Life’, and now this same evil is trying to kill me, the other Legends, and all of existence, and the only way to prevent complete and total annihilation is to destroy them and reunite the Tree of Life?”

“Yes.”

“Uh huh. Yeah. Okay. You know this sounds completely crazy, right?” Chanyeol asked. I scoffed, rolling my eyes. We sat in my hotel room, him on my bed and me at the table with my feet propped up.

“And being able to control fire isn’t?” I countered. I let my feet fall to the ground with a muffled thud, resting my arms on my knees. “Now I have answered all of your questions, it’s time for you to answer some of mine. What were you and the Legend of Teleportation talking about?”

“Nothing specific,” he said shrugging. He mimicked my posture, staring at the floor. “He just told me that he was starting to master his power. He told me he’d found someone, a Shaman, who could help us better understand our powers. He supposedly lives deep in the Sobaek Mountains, away from all people, in a grand temple.”

He fell back onto the bed, hands tucked under his head. I watched him intently. I knew exactly who he was referring to and exactly where he was talking about. The grand temple was indeed grand. No expense had been spared when building it.

“Elder Hyunki.” Chanyeol lifted his head and cocked it to the side, his hair falling over his eyes. “The Shaman you’re referring to, his name is Hur Hyun Ki.” I studied under him many, many years ago.” Chanyeol perked up at this, scrambling off the bed to stand before me.

“You know where the Shaman is?” I nodded slowly, knowing and not liking where this was going. “So you can take me to him?” I sighed, leaning back in my chair and rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“Yes and no,” I answered. “While I could technically take you there, I really can’t.”

“Why not?”

I sighed, scratching the back of my neck. The kid was lucky enough he still had his head with all the questions he asked. How he had survived all these years was a miracle within itself.

“Elder Hyunki has never been very fond of me,” I began to explain. “A few years ago, we had a falling out. There had been an… issue which resulted in me being banned from the temple.” Chanyeol’s shoulders deflated, his head droppin to his chest. He looked like a kicked puppy. I bit the inside of my cheek. “But, he’s going to have to make an exception this time around.” Chanyeol lifted his head grinning.

“He is?” I nodded, making his smile grow.

“I’m giving him the chance to meet another Legend. He’d die before he let some ban prevent that,” I told him. He began bouncing around, looking more like an excited puppy than someone who possessed ancient powers. “We’ll leave tomorrow. For now, let’s rest. It’s quite a journey to the Sobaek Mountains. We’ll need all our energy which for you, might not be a problem.”

The next morning came earlier than I expected. I must’ve stayed up later than I thought. I wanted to just roll over and fall back asleep, but the scratchy motel bed didn’t care about what I wanted. I sat up, stretching my arms above my head.

Sunlight filtered through the window, basking me in its warm glow. That was weird. I never opened the curtains, no matter where I was, so why were they opened now? I scratched the back of my head, my hand creeping under my pillow to grip my knife.

“Good morning!”

I nearly fell out of the bed as I clutched my knife. I gazed hastily around the room until I spotted Chanyeol stepping out of the bathroom, smiling like a fool. His smile dropped when he spotted my knife. I quickly hid it from him as I blinked, a frown placing itself on my face.

“What?” I croaked throwing the covers off my legs. I glanced at the alarm clock next to my bed, letting out a groan. “What’re you doing here so early?” He looked around, raising his eyebrows at me as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

“It’s eight o’clock in the morning.” I groaned, falling back onto the uncomfortable bed. “Besides, last night you said we’d travel to the Sobaek Mountains to find the Shaman. I figured the sooner we head out, the sooner we’ll get there,” he said.

He was right, but I still didn’t want to get out of bed. However, I couldn’t stay here any longer, and it’s not like the bed was comfortable. Begrudgingly, I forced myself out of bed.

“I’m going to hop into the shower real quick, then we’ll leave, deal?”

“Deal,” he agreed.

A shower was just what I needed to help wash away my stress and aches. Too bad the shower was disgusting. The water was far from clean, and I still wanted to curl into a ball and sleep. I didn’t spend much time in the shower, opting to start the journey to the Sobaek Mountains sooner rather than later.

***

Chanyeol had quite the personality. He was the complete opposite of what I had been taught the Legends would be like. I had been expecting older, stoic men who had long since mastered their powers, not some kid with as much energy as a puppy.

“You’re very quiet,” he commented as we climbed the steep mountain-side. It was a nice change of scenery from the heavily polluted cities I’d been in. It took me back to when I was younger. Oh, how I wish I could go back.

“Silence is golden,” I hinted.

“I thought it was silence,” he laughed. I stopped in my tracks, closing my eyes. I couldn’t believe he had actually said that. That was a lie. I could one hundred percent believe he had said that. “I know, I know. I’m hilarious.”

“More like a smart-ass,” I mumbled. He didn’t hear me as he continued to talk about everything from his life, to his dreams, and everything in between. I silently hoped the other Legends weren’t as hyperactive as Chanyeol was. I wondered what Elder Hyunki would think of Chanyeol.

He’d always gone on about how wise, powerful, and fearsome the Legends were--how they were true forces to be reckoned with. I glanced over to Chanyeol who was currently chasing a butterfly through a field of wild daisies. Yeah, he was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

“Hurry up Legend!” I hollered. We were almost to the Sobaek Temple. “Elder Hyunki is just over this hill.” Or he had been.

Where a magnificent temple, made of marble and jade and covered in precious jewels, had once stood, was now ash and rubble. All that was left was a charred, black, ash-covered structure. The once lush and prosperous gardens that surrounded the temple were black and shrivelled. Even the koi pond died and dried up.

I ran to the temple as fast as my feet could carry me, a string of profanities leaving my mouth. I barreled in the front doors, knocking them clean off their hinges. The inside was worse than the outside. The floor had been demolished, exposing the dead grass that lay beneath it. Shelves that held years upon years of knowledge on them were on their sides, their books scattered around them. Priceless artifacts had been shattered.

I moved to the corner of the main foyer. A pile of grey ashes covered the tiny corner. Then something silver caught my eye. I dropped to my knees with a loud thud and picked the shiny object up. It was a ring--Elder Hyunki’s ring. I clutched it in my hand, dropping my head forward. All I could do was stare. Another innocent soul murdered by the Red Force.

“Were you close?” came Chanyeol’s voice. I inhaled slowly.

“No,” I replied coolly, rising to my feet. “Come on. They couldn’t have destroyed everything. There has to be something here that can help us.” I turned around to find Chanyeol holding a book with burn holes on the cover. I peeked inside; one of the Legend’s symbols was on the page.

“Like this?” I nodded, grabbing my bag and carefully placing the book inside. I slipped Elder Hyunki’s ring onto my thumb and continued sifting through the rubble when I saw something out the corner of my eyes. It was a walking stick. Not just any walking stick though, it was a branch from the Tree of Life.

“Let’s go, Legend,” I called grabbing the stick. “We need to get going before whoever did this comes back.” He nodded, eyes still taking everything in. “There’s a town not too far from here. We can stay there and come back later.” He nodded again, following me out the doorway.


	3. Apport

This was probably the worst motel room I’d ever stayed in. The carpet was covered in stains, the bed looked like it’d been recently used, and everything was dated and covered in a thick layer of dust. If that wasn’t enough, the room could have used a heavy dose of Febreeze. Seriously, when was the last time this room was cleaned?

Stepping inside, I threw my bag onto the table, successfully sending a cloud of dust everywhere. Chanyeol sneezed, waving the dust away. He stood awkwardly by the door as I put away the groceries. The fridge was probably the cleanest thing in the room. It was obvious why we were given this room--judgy bastards.

“What now?” I sighed. I’ve always hated that question and this was no exception.

“We keep moving,” I answered. “We try to find the other Legends and put an end to this genocide.” I moved to the bed, yanking away the top covers. The sheets appeared clean, just a tad dusty. I pulled the pillow cases off as well. Lice was a bitch to treat and get rid of.

“You should rest,” I told him. I moved to sit at the table, grabbing my bag and pulling out the book Chanyeol had found. The walking stick rested in a corner, watching our every move. “You’ll need your energy for when we go back. Yes, we are going back. There has to be something there that can tell us where the other Legends are.”

“What about you? Don’t you need rest?” he inquired, moving to sit on the bed. He folded his legs under him, staring at me expectantly. I pulled out my multiple knives hidden in my bag, laying them out on the table. Chanyeol’s eyes went wide staring at all of them.

“No,” I replied, looking him square in the eye. He flinched even though I made no move towards him. “Rest now. I’ll stand guard.” I unsheathed my knife, turning the chair to face the door.

Chanyeol didn’t argue. Instead, he climbed under the covers. I listened as he tossed and turned, the sheets rustling with every turn. After some time he finally settled down. I exhaled, glad at least one of us would be able to get some sleep. This life wasn’t easy, but at least he could still close his eyes at night.

Some time in the middle of the night I woke Chanyeol up. That in itself wasn’t an easy task. The boy was a heavy sleeper. I had to almost push him off the bed before he finally woke up. He groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“What’s going on? It’s--” he glanced at the nearby alarm clock “--one in the morning!” he complained.

“Going back to the temple during the day is too risky. If the Red Force is still nearby, they’ll see us in broad daylight. They’ll see us in darkness, but it’s less likely they’ll be watching at night,” I explained grabbing my bag. I stuffed two of my knives into my boots and put the others in my bag. Grabbing the walking stick, I glanced over at Chanyeol and found him struggling to put his shoes on. I really needed to look into alternate ways of defeating the Red Force.

The trip back to the temple took longer because I wouldn’t let us use flashlights just in case the Red Force was still watching. Once inside, we clicked on the flashlights. The eerie darkness gave me unpleasant flashbacks to my early teen years. My heart clenched in my chest, making me inhale deeply.

I kept Chanyeol as I lead him through the maze of halls. I didn’t need, or want, him to wander off. It was very easy to get lost in here. Our footsteps echoed off the bare walls; it was the only sound besides our breathing. Smoke still lingered in the air.

I lead Chanyeol straight to Elder Hyunki’s private chambers. It was practically untouched. Everything was in perfect order, just the way he liked it. I swept the flashlight around the room. It was a simple setup: a single bed mat and a desk on the opposite wall. I focused the light on the desk.

I stepped close to it, crouching down. I ran a gentle hand over the faded wood. One of Elder Hyunki’s favorite lessons flashed through my head. Hours upon hours of reading and thinking and checking. “You must triple check everything!” he’d yell at us.

“Triple check,” I muttered. The desk had three drawers. I tugged open the bottom drawer, shining the flashlight in it. It was empty. Reaching around the sides and bottom. Elder Hyunki’s words echoed inside my head. Triple check what?

I slammed my hand against the roof of the drawer. Something cold and hard hit my hand, making me shout out in pure pain. I pulled my hand out; it throbbed painfully as a string of profanities left my mouth.

“What happened? Are you alright? What happened?” Chanyeol crouched down, staring with panicked eyes.

“I’m fine,” I muttered. I stuck my hand back into the drawer, reaching for the roof. I grabbed whatever was there and yanked it out.

In my hand sat a large, old, rustic key with the Tree of Life on its head. This--this is what Elder Hyunki kept hidden. I stared at it angry. What else did I expect from that old bag of bones? He always exaggerated the truth. If he was still alive I’d--

“I think I know where that goes.” I whipped my head to the side, staring at Chanyeol. He was staring at the key with big, round eyes. “Yeah, I remember when seeing this symbol when I found that book.”

“Where?” I asked.

“Uh, near the front room--”

“Show me!”

We scrambled up. I lead us back to the main foyer where Chanyeol took the lead. He took me to the old meeting chamber. It was like the rest of the temple: shelves were knocked over, their contents scattered around the floor. Behind one of the knocked over shelves was a door. I never knew it was back here. It was covered in scratches, but I knew that symbol: the Tree of Life, and there was a keyhole underneath it.

I put the key into it, turning it until I heard a series of clicks. The door groaned, moving inwards. Chanyeol gave it one good push, sending it further into the secret room that lay behind it. I shined the flashlight inside. Inside the secret room were twelve glass cases--in each case was a journal.

I tiptoed inside the room, approaching one of the cases. The journal looked old but in good condition. I felt Chanyeol’s presence behind me. He placed a timid hand on the glass, staring at the journal awe.

“Do we need a key or--” I smashed the glass with the back of the flashlight, sending glass shards flying and startling Chanyeol in the process. I grabbed the journal, putting it inside my bag. “--or we just smash the glass,” he finished. I shrugged, moving to next case. Once all the journals were secured in my bag, Chanyeol and I went to the main foyer. This would be my last time here.

I stood there, leaning on the staff, when I heard a “poof” from outside. I turned around and found Chanyeol running towards the door, unconcerned with his safety. He was out the doors before I could yell at him to stop. He’d get himself killed if he ran off like that.

I mentally cursed his long legs as I chased after him. I stopped just outside the doorway. The guy from last stood in the middle of the lawn, staring at the temple. His dark hair framed his melancholy eyes, his arms hung limp by his sides, he was the picture of pity. When he caught my eye, his expression changed, turning dangerously dark. Chanyeol stood between us, switching his gaze from me to his friend.

“Did you do this?” he yelled. I observed him carefully. Even from this distance, I could see the blurriness in his eyes. “I asked you a question! Did you do this?” The corners of my mouth turned down slightly.

“No.” I knew he didn’t believe me. That’s why I didn’t move and neither did he. “I offer my condolences, Great Legend. I assume the two of you were close.”

“What do you mean ‘condolences’? What do you mean ‘were close’? Where’s Elder Hyunki?” He turned to Chanyeol, his gaze desperate and pleading. I couldn’t see Chanyeol’s face, but I could guess it wasn’t holding the expression the Legend was looking for.

“Great Legend, I understand you’re hurting. Elder Hyunki was a good man, but now is not the time for mourning. You’re in serious danger. It’s imperative I get you to safety as soon as possible. Please remain calm and--”

“Calm? Calm! You want me to stay calm? Elder Hyunki is… is… and you don’t want me to mourn? What crack statement is that? Do you even care he’s gone?” he spat venomously. I stayed still: spine straight, eyes focused, staff clutched in my hand. I knew what he was doing. He was hurting, so he wanted someone else to feel his pain. He wanted a reaction. Which sucked because he wasn’t getting one.

“Great Legend, please, now is not the time to act irrationally--”

“Now is the perfect time to act irrationally! And I’m not acting ‘irrationally’. I think I’m acting quite the opposite of irrational. Someone I care about is dead, and you’re acting like--like--” He marched towards me, arms flailing around him. I stayed rooted to my spot, hand gripping the staff. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to what he would do. Of all the Legends, his power was on the less dangerous side.

Before he could do anything, Chanyeol jumped in front of him, his long arms outstretched. The Legend stopped, his glare focused on Chanyeol. I watched them carefully, ready to intervene if necessary.

“Kai! Hey, look at me. She is hurting--just like you. She’s just hurting differently. People show their pain in different way. She knew him for years. She’s sad too--she’s just really bad at showing it,” Chanyeol explained. Who would have thought amidst his unending chatter, Chanyeol could say something so--profound, for lack of a better word. It appeared to do the trick though. The Legend, Kai, immediately calmed down. He grabbed onto Chanyeol, his shoulders shaking. Chanyeol embraced him in return.

I turned, going back inside the temple. That was a private moment I was not a part of. While they were outside, I sifted through the rubble and collected whatever I thought would be helpful, which wasn’t much.

Daylight began peeking through the doorway. It was time to leave. We could stay in town for a short while, but it would be better if we left sooner rather than later. The Red Force would stop at nothing until everything and everyone were at their knees. Stepping outside, Chanyeol and Kai were still there once again they spoke in hushed tones. They appeared to be in a heated conversation and kept gesturing towards the temple.

“Alright, listen up!” I hollered moving towards the both of them. Their heads snapped in my direction as I slung my bag over my shoulder, the walking stick clutched in my other hand. “We need to leave. Now.” I brushed past them, ready to head back towards town.

“Aurelia! Wait!” Chanyeol called. The leaves of the scorched garden crunched as he ran to catch up to me. “Aurelia, what--what about Elder Hyunki?” I stopped and turned to stare at the tall boy. His eyes held so much sincerity in them, it was hard to be annoyed with him.

“What about him? He’s dead. He’s not coming back.”

“I mean, I know. It’s just--I mean--I thought we came back to bury him.”

“No. We didn’t.” Chanyeol’s shoulders deflated. “Now’s not the time for sentiments,” I told him. I jerked my head towards Kai. “If you want your friend to live, he needs to come with us. I may not have been able to save Elder Hyunki’s life, but I will honor his dying wish.”

“How do you know what his dying wish was?” Chanyeol inquired. I went to snap at him for asking so many damn questions, but I hesitated. He stood there staring at me with his big, brown eyes. I couldn’t bring myself to yell or even stay angry at him. I’d always been weak for puppy eyes.

“I just do,” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Let’s get going. We can’t be here in broad daylight. The Red Force did this because they knew Kai’s been here. They’ve probably known for weeks--months even. They’ll be back. They always come back. We need to back to town. Now.”

Chanyeol didn’t question me further. He went back to grab Kai who was still staring at the temple miserably. They trailed behind me as I marched s back into town where I checked the three of us into a completely different motel.

Thankfully it was cleaner than the previous one. I tossed my bag onto the table. Its contents spilled out, covering the table with ancient texts. Rummaging through everything, I pulled out a map of both worlds--almost identical in geography. Laying it out flat and smoothing the creases, I summoned Kai. Glancing over, I saw him sitting on one of the beds. He looked miserable.

I sighed. He reminded me of, well, me. I was about his age the first time I saw someone I cared about die. I sat down on the bed opposite of him, leaning forward and resting my forearms on my legs. He didn’t look at me. He opted for staring at the floor, occasionally snifiling.

“Legend--Kai, I know you’re hurting. And as unbelievable as it might be, so am I. Elder Hyunki was a brilliant mentor and a good man. His death shouldn’t have happened how or when it did, but dwelling on it won’t change what happened. The people, monsters, who did this are still out there, and they’re looking for you. For all twelve of you of you. Elder Hyunki gave his life to protect you.”

“He shouldn’t have died. This is all my fault,” he sniffled as tears pooled in his eyes.

“It is not your fault. Don’t you think for one second any of this is your fault. This is the Red Force’s fault, and they will pay for this,” I assured him. I moved to sit next to him, wrapping my arm around his shoulders. He tensed briefly before melting into my neck. I softly rubbed his back as the collar of my shirt grew steadily damp.

Once his sobbing subsided, I pulled away to gently cup his face. His whole face was puffy and his eyes were bloodshot. Using my thumbs, I wiped away any stray tears. Looking at him like this, it hit me that he was just a kid--just like I had been. We were children of war.

“You know all the other Legends, yes? You’ve found and met them all?” Kai nodded, drying his eyes. I handed him a marker. “I need you to mark where they are. If we find them before the Red Force does, we’ll be able to save a lot of people.”

Looking at the ten dots on the map, I groaned in frustration. Of course the other Legends were spread out, either in remote places or buzzing cities. It would take months to travel to all the places located in this world alone. It would be years before we could get to the other world.

“Legend, have you ever teleported with another person?” I inquired. He shook his head. Sifting through the journals, I grabbed the journal with the Legend of Teleportation’s symbol. I skimmed the yellowing pages until I found what I was looking for. “Chanyeol said Elder Hyunki was helping you master your powers. How far did he get?” Kai shrugged.

“The farthest we got was me reading a book about the history of our powers.” he told me. I rolled my eyes. Of course that’s as far as they got. Some things didn’t change.

“Why don’t you teach him,” Chanyeol suggested. “I mean, you studied under Elder Hyunki, so you could teach him too.” Chanyeol could be too optimistic for his own good sometimes, but when I saw Kai’s puppy eyes, I couldn’t find it in me to say no.

“Elder Hyunki and I didn’t agree on the best methods of learning, but I’ll teach you if that is what you wish,” I told them. I handed Kai the journal, instructing him to read. The journal wasn’t just some random history book; it was a how-to-guide written by the original Legend of Teleportation. If anyone could help Kai, it was him.

As fast as a learner Kai was, I found that there was something holding him back. Teleporting small objects such as cups and cutlery came with ease. However, anytime I had him teleport a bigger object, such as a chair, it didn’t end the way either of us wanted. When he tried teleporting with the chair would teleport with him, but it would teleport thirty feet away from him--promptly landing him on his ass.

“I’m never going to get this!” Kai cried out in anguish and frustration. He sat on his butt, on the floor, the chair in the kitchen.

“You’re too focused on the target. Focus on your actions,” I said.

“I’m trying! It’s hard!” He stood up, brushing himself off. Chanyeol sat on one of the beds, quietly observing me and Kai work. At the beginning of everything, he’d been vocally supportive. But as Kai continued to struggle, he had wisely chosen to stay quiet.

“You can’t focus properly unless both your head and heart are in agreeance with each other. Your emotions are a key player. A wise man once said, ‘True focus, along with true power, lies somewhere between rage and serenity.’ Go back to your childhood, back to a time where you felt comfortable--vulnerable. Slowly let your walls down as you focus on what you felt. Let that feeling take over your body.”

I watched as his body began to relax. His shoulders fell forward slightly and his face relaxed completely. Gently grabbing his hand and with a final word of encouragement, he inhaled deeply.

As he exhaled, the ground underneath us shifted. Birds chirped and the wind blew across my face as my eyes adjusted to my new surroundings. He finally did it. I was ecstatic. Of course, I have better control over myself. Kai was currently hopping up and down, his eyes creasants.

Bouncing to me, he grabbed my hand and teleported us back to the hotel. Chanyeol jumped up from the bed and began to jump around excitedly with Kai. I chuckled quietly. They were like a couple of five-year-olds, and it was oddly endearing.


End file.
